Cantarella
by k1tcat13
Summary: Miku and Kaito are childhood friends but as a desperate attempt at love Kaito decides to go down a path he can't turn back from. Will the fate of these two change that of a pair of twins years later? Links cantarella and story of evil series. Please R&R.
1. Chapter 1

Cantarella

The heavy scent of roses wafted through the endless maze of rosebushes, overpowering all other senses and would cause anyone to fall into a trance like state. Normally, the roses wouldn't be so strong, but rather soft and sweet, much like the children who loved to play amongst them. Their garden was their hiding place to escape the world and all their worries behind, throwing the world away it was just the two of them together safe within their garden. Kaito being at the age where it was time for him to be sent back to his own kingdom to begin training knew he didn't have much time left with his childhood friend, Miku.

Alone, in the vast empty library he worked franticly looking for the answer to all his pain. Occasionally he would look at the dusty old grandfather clock, but he didn't need the time since he could tell it was late by peering out the eclipsing windows. Sadly Kaito knew that time was against him. "I'll do this…please I have to do this for Miku…" His mind wandered back to another time, one he cherished quite closely.

"_Kaito! Look I want to show you something!" Miku cried to him from afar. After trying hard to avoid staring at her he turned from his spot on the bench. "What is it Miku?" he replied plainly, forcing himself to suppress the surprise in his voice. His heart skipped a beat when she ran headlong into him as he stood up. They tumbled and rolled till Miku ended up resting on top of Kaito with an oddly colored rose in her small hands. As they lie there in shock Kaito peeked up to make sure the world wasn't spinning any longer, but instead of noticing any of that he saw Miku staring back at him with a look he's never seen before. They locked eyes for a brief second before Miku turned away; it wasn't enough to stop Kaito from noticing a delicate blush spread across her cheeks before she stumbled off of him._

"_I'm so sorry! Kaito are you alright? Here let me help you." Miku's eyes welled up slightly as she yanked on Kaito's arm. Failing to pull him up, they both fell once again. Stunned about the strange chain of events Kaito threw his head back onto the grass and laughed. When he finally stopped and noticed Miku staring at the rose she tried so desperately to save as they fell. "Is that what you wanted to show me?" he said cautiously, nodding furiously she pushed it into his hands and ran off deep into the maze. He gently held it close as he attempted to engrave its' memory into his heart, afraid that it was too delicate to be handled with a firm grip._

Alone, Kaito walked along the line of shelves in the library. Volume after countless volumes his gaze finally fell upon a dusty torn book bound in cold smooth black leather. Strangely it was warm to the touch; he almost felt a spark as he pulled it from one of the abandoned shelves. Using both the light from the fading candle and the waning moonlight Kaito could feel the power coursing from the forbidden book. Swiftly he puffed out the candle, tightly clinching the book he looked out the window at the fading moonlight and down at his elongated shadow. This was his resolve and he had every intention to use it.

Franticly flipping through the pages of the book he notice that there was something in particular about it, for the words glowed a cruel shade of green all on it's own. Kaito looked down in amazement at this strange book without a title. Suddenly, without thinking his hands stopped dead on a page with a list of ingredients to concoct the answer to all his problems. In the light of the arising sun he found that it was difficult to make out the words formed by the crawling green letters. However he had enough time to make out the list of items he would need.

"_13 of the devil's flower,_

_the blood of an innocent,_

_bones of the ancients,_

_and stones of the rising goddess"_

At sunrise he saw that the words had disappeared. Turning to other pages he realized they were completely blank too. He was now in possession of a book that was truly cursed by god himself. Kaito looked out at the window and caught his reflection. What he saw disturbed him greatly; he hadn't slept all night giving his eyes the appearance of being larger than they were, but lastly what scared him most was the menacing smile he had on his face as he tightly clutched the book to his chest.

"Miku. Remember that flower you gave me?" Kaito asked gently while Miku walked beside him in the garden. "Mhmm. What about it?" she sang back in reply. "Take me to where you found it." With that Miku grasped Kaito hand and pulled him along behind her further into the maze till they stopped dead at its heart. "There!" she pointed gleefully. Upon closer examination Kaito noticed that the flower was not only oddly color but its center looked as though it was bleeding. The so called rose was not a rose at all, being how no rose had two intertwining colors. The outermost petals were a shade of midnight blue, but as one moved closer to the center tendrils of red mixed with the blue, fusing together to make an unearthly color surrounding its bleeding heart.

This surreal flower was the key ingredient. He plucked them furiously from the thorny bush until he heard a horrifying scream emanating from behind. The momentary lapse in judgment made Kaito cut his hand on the large spiny flower. Blood silently oozed out and fell on the other flowers he had already picked. Straining their hearts a deeper red. Disregarding his injury he rushed to Miku's side. "Miku!" he cried, "Miku, are you alright?" He pulled her sobbing to his side. She cradled her hand slightly when he held her in his arms. "What happened?" Kaito asked urgently. Miku cries subsided as Kaito pulled her hand closer to make sure she was fine. Horrified he found a terrible thorn pierced deep into her small fingers. Without warning he yanked hard and popped it out before Miku could let out another cry. "You are such a baby," he laughed, "Come now don't cry here…" With that he took her hand and kissed it, Miku stared at Kaito's smiling face not knowing what to do but smile in return. She no longer felt any pain.

That night after collecting his flowers he returned to the study for yet another sleepless night. Taking the book out of this hiding place in the abandoned shelf he searched through the glowing pages to further his pursuit.

"_With the devil's flower in hand, rip the petals from it and crush it into a fine powder, this process must be done at the twilight hour. A pig must be fed this wicked powder, before long it will lie dead, using a blade pierce its belly, sprinkle in more dust as well as the blood of an innocent, the bones of an ancient, and the crushed stones of the goddess. Leave it to decay till the new moon is at its zenith, all the while collecting it's fluids in a vile which will later be dried into a glistening white powder. At this point take the cursed powder and mix with wine to activate its deadly potential. May the gods forbid all those whom have fallen from grace into the pit of Tartarus for using this." _

The passage was foreboding and ominous, yet so appealing. Kaito knew the consequences of the actions he would soon take but it was nothing in his pursuit for the prize. He would sooner sell his soul to end his constant yearning. Releasing it from his grasp he felt an emptiness engulf his heart, swirling in a mist of melancholy. He looked now at his shadow, sighing softly he acknowledged his new companion, his face twisted into a hideous smile as he reached down to touch his counterpart's hand.

And so night after night he worked by the candle's flickering light to crave his own future. Until at least the new moon reached its zenith. "At last," he gasped as he saw the end product of all his toil, "Cantarella is mine! Isn't that right?" The shadow wavered slightly before answering. "Yes," it hissed beside him, "now all you need is to use it. Do it Kaito. It will answer your heart's prayer. Do it." The shadow flickered from one side to another, watching him for its next move. Cradling the crystal vile of the bloody liquid he dragged his feet toward another shelf in a distant wall, far from the reaches of any sources of light, pushing aside useless volumes onto the floor, Kaito blindly felt his way along the back wall till his fingers met the chilling embrace of a metallic handle. With a flick of his wrist the hinges gave way, revealing an extremely small vault in which he would tuck his prize away till he can finally use it.

Unfortunately by the time he finished making his heart's work he had but a day before he would leave Miku, before he realized that he had fallen into a deep sleep on the study floor amongst the forgotten words of masters long past. In the early hours of dawn Miku crept into the study to wake him up on his last day, for she wanted to spend as much time with him as possible. "Kaito," she sang lightly as she shook him. Blinded by the light of the sun radiating around Miku, he blinked dumbly at her while imagining his shadow before him. He reached for it, smiling a wicked grin for only his shadow would know its true meaning; he wrapped his arms around its neck and drew it towards his body. Out of shock, Miku let out a cry, pulling Kaito back to reality, looking down he noticed that he was still holding a studded Miku shaking slightly in his arms. "Miku?" his voice quivered out of fear that he had scared her, "Miku…I thought you were someone else." A light chuckle emanated from somewhere in the pit of his bowels. Gingerly he reluctantly peeled his arms away from her. "Come now Miku let's go out to the garden." With tears still on her lashes, Miku nodded and together they quickly left the oppressing air of the study behind. Yet as they swept out the door into the bright cavernous hallways leading to an endless array of possibilities, Kaito couldn't help but tune his eyes into the secret vault, and the bottle of sin.

Standing alone inside the towering front doors, Miku sobbed noisy as she watched the servants carry Kaito's belongings away in large trunks. When the last of them were taken away, Kaito quietly descended the stairs avoiding all eye contact. Upon realizing this would be the last time she'd see him she let out a cry and raced into his arms. He held her as she cried into his chest, but never once did he look down to see the tears himself. After a long while, Miku still clutching his tear stained coat, whimpered , "Kaito…..don't go…..please….I'll wait for you….here….you'll come back and we'll play together again…right?" Her words stabbed at his heart, he never knew how much he meant to her till this moment, but he knew it was only because they were childhood friends. Nothing more.

He hugged her for a brief moment, walked firmly out the iron clad doors, and into the darkness. His faded and melted away into the night with each rustling step. Sinking to her knees she stared on as the doors slammed shut behind him; her tears had stopped for a while now. Silently she swept up the skirt of her gown and turned away, gliding off down the bright glistening corridors of the castle.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Hurry!"

"Not so fast. You'll get lost in there."

"You'll never find me now Len!"

"Rin, wait!"

Their cheerful chatter rang across the garden to where she sat quietly sipping her amber colored tea, out of a delicately hand-painted cup. There Miku sat alone at a metal flower gilded table. It was a light spring day; the air was laced with the scent from the rose garden as it faintly wafts towards her. With the breeze pushing at her long blue pigtails, her eyes glazed over to the memories of her when she was young. The years had been truly kind to her, in the prime of her age she had become known for being amongst the rank of most beautiful princesses within the surrounding kingdoms. Lost in her depths of her mind, Miku could almost reach out and grasp the fleeting image of a blue-haired boy she once played with.

While Miku starred mindlessly into her teacup, a gust of wind ripped through the garden throwing a torrent of petals her way. She sat unmoved, in a frozen state chasing after the ghost of her past even as the petals fluttered as if suspended by invisible lines. Till a single petal broke the surface of her tea, the ripples reached into the depths of her mind. Her heart jumped at the sudden disturbance, tilting her head upwards she blinked blindly into the beaming sunlight. It was almost as though she had come back to life, breathing was strange and new, moving her stiff body felt unnatural. Without a second thought she rushed into the garden till it all became a mesh of green and foliage, Miku tugged at her skirt to allow herself to glide through the maze. The laughter grew louder with every step, her heart continuously urging her forward, around the corner and between the rainbow clusters of roses. Till she hurled her body through a gated opening, panted she looked down as a pair of shocked faces turned up towards her. Trying to hold herself together, Miku stared wide eyed at the children without seeing them. Instead she saw a pair of blue haired kids sitting together each holding a different color rose.

"Miku…," Rin whispered softly as she staggered to her feet. "Miku?" Len tentatively took a step closer and waved his hands franticly in front of her face. Silently, he reached out for Miku's hand as Rin mirrored him on the other side. Together they attempted to guide her out, they tugged on her but she refused to move. They turned to face each other, Rin's emerald eyes locked with Len's topaz blue eyes, a single thought raced between them and they knew what they had to do. Rin tugged lightly at her ruffled skirt as she plopped herself onto the grass to fix her shiny white ribbon. Len dusted off his shorts and stockings as he rolled over onto his belly, before resting his head on his folded arms. The thirteen year old twins stared sadly at each other as the breeze pushed them gentle away from each other. Miku, once more standing frozen in time became a statue as she looked down upon the sandy blonde haired children. Tears trickled down her porcelain cheeks as she fought to remember the blurred face of the little boy. _Why couldn't I remember you…Who were you to me…_With those last thoughts she crumpled onto the stony pathway.

Energy surged through the air as heavy gray clouds weaved into one another to form a foreboding feel of misery with a ting of excitement. Bursts of bone chilling gust tore through the garden and slammed upon the metal gilding of the glass windows and thick doors. Within the fortress of luxury lie countless deserted rooms and corridors leading to numerous possibilities. She had learned to memorize the winding path to his bedroom. Darkness enveloped her slender body in a film as she flew through the cavernous hallways with an oversized bunny clutched tightly to her chest. She could feel the electricity prinking at her skin as she moved faster and faster to escape the looming storm.

In his bed, Len laid on his side facing his window, away from the door anticipating her arrival. Being close twins they knew every aspect of one another. All but one. Kicking back the covers of his bed, he stumbled bare footed over to his window to pull the curtains down to hide himself away from the judgmental face of the moon staring back at him. Len's head drooped slightly as he crawled back to the safety of his canopy bed. In the sea of frothy sheets and blankets, he plopped himself with a heavy sigh. "Where is she…" he hissed half to himself and half to the chilly air.

Outside the tempest swirled together as the wind howled and screamed progressively fiercer as the night grew later. Rain pelted the windows with forceful taps, tempting to break through the glass at any moment. Sparks of lightning danced from one cloud to another leaving only a glimpse of their footsteps and the claps of thunder in the distance stalking after it. The scene in the sky lulled Len to a false sense of peace. Suddenly, a noise pierced the stoic air of his room, forcing himself not to bolt up straight in his bed he sleepily slouched up and looked at the slight silhouette peeping in from the door. "Len? You awake?" Her usual singsong voice quivered as she spoke. A chuckle shock his chest but he composed himself before replying, "Rin? Scared of the storm tonight? You know you don't have to ask anymore. We both know how you get with lightning storms." Controlling the excitement in his body he beckoned her to join him in bed as they had always done for countless years. Relief engulfed Rin as she found comfort in the warmth of his presence. Burying herself in the covers next to Len she felt a wave of peace sweep over her. She watched him from the corner of her eye when she noticed him turning to face her. She shut her eyes hoping he wouldn't notice her watching. He did. Len rolled over onto his side as she placed her oversized bunny between them. Disappointment made his face twitch the slightest bit but he only smiled as he took hold of the other side of the rabbit. They snuggled closer to the rabbit. Under the canopy of Len's bed they were safe from the raging tempest of the world just outside their silky translucent curtains. Along with its treacheries, lining the gentle folds.


	3. Chapter 3

A warm summer evening grew brighter as the servants ran about preparing for the ball later that night. Candelabras were lit one after another before they were hoisted up toward the spacious domed ceiling of the ballroom. The newly polished floors shone with the reflected light of liquid diamonds. As the preparations were reaching their completion Miku was far from done with her's. Her room filled with a thin mist of powder from the pounding she received with a puff brush from one of her handmaids, while another pair hurried about to straighten and tie up her cascade of ice blue hair into two thigh length piggy tails.

Ms. Varteres, Miku's nanny ordered the last set of maids to prepare her midnight blue gown. Ms. Varteres had watched over Miku from the moment she was born, a thin woman yet she held herself with an air of power, though she was Miku's nanny she was hardly more than a couple years over. She was the daughter of Miku's mother's nanny. However, more than anything Alice Varteres saw Miku as a younger sister, one she had to protect. Thus she over saw anything that would affect Miku in any way. Tonight she was perched on the corner of Miku's pink canopied bed playing with the ruffled cuffs on the dress's left sleeve with her head tilted slightly to one side to let her dark purple curls rest gently on the tops her small shoulders.

"Alllicccceeee I don't want to go to another ball," groaned Miku as one of her maids began tightening her lacey ivory colored corset lined delicately with small pearls. With her eyes half closed Alice answered lazily, "Deal with it. You don't have a choice in the matter, it's the master's wish to host this ball and you're the main attraction." Miku snapped around to look at Alice, Alice nodded her head slightly in return. "It's always the same though. Some duke, earl, count, governor's son, or whatever will ask me to dance the night away with him and beg for a kiss when it's over. I'm sick of it! I don't want to spend my life faking flirtatious comments with a stranger till I'm arranged to marry one of them." Her eyes welled up with her frustration at Alice's indifferent attitude towards the subject. Shaking her curls Alice looked up at Miku and said, "You're being a child. Dry your tears before they ruin your makeup. Here," Alice got up from her spot to gently hug Miku, "be good tonight and I'll promise to make sure no silly boy will put in a position you don't want to be in. Alright?" Nodding into her shoulder Miku got up from her plush chair in front of her mirrors to put on layers upon layers of petticoats and underskirts before they could finally put her midnight blue gown on her.

Miku did a quick spin in front of her five-sided mirror to give herself a once over before she would have to descend the polished wooden staircase. The gown fit her perfectly, after all it was custom made by one of the finest dressmakers of her day, none other than her mother. It fluttered as she whirled once more, the ruffles of her sleeves felt as light as angel wings, the underskirts and petticoats brushed the top of her jewel encrusted heels gently, everything was in place. Stopping abruptly Miku stared at herself in the mirror. Staring back at her was a pair of teal eyes from a tall fragilely thin looking girl of about 18. She was at the age where she'd be ready to marry any man that her father would choose for her but she worked tirelessly to stall for time by finding any fault she could in them. She hated how everyone saw her as a prize to be won. "I want to find that little boy before I'm married to some idiot," she thought to herself. Alice's gray eyes could not for once see what Miku was thinking but she knew better than to ask. "Get up it's time," was all she said as she made her way out of the room. Miku remained motionless for a brief second before getting to her feet and fetching her mask for the ball. It didn't do much to hide who she was it was just how things were done and so she never thought to question it. Without a second glance she glided out her room letting the door swing itself shut with a soft metallic clack.

Rin tossed the letter along with the envelope stamped with the Aureate royal family's seal. She groaned softly to herself as she pulled her silky white gloves on. "Len, u ready to go yet?" she called into the adjacent room. "Yes, your highness," he called back in return. Rin turned away and stared absently at the letter telling her that it was almost time to return back to her kingdom. Her long vacation was coming to an end and she wasn't about to leave without getting what she had long sought for. She creeped over to the pearl colored door separating their two rooms and placed her small ungloved fingertips on it for a brief moment, breathing in the faintly perfumed air around her. Its smell was familiar yet this time it choked her slightly, it felt overbearing and unfriendly. She hurried away from his door knowing her unsounded footsteps would not be heard on the other side.

Turning away and pretending not to notice, Rin returned to her spot in front of the vanity as the door rattled and opened with a jerk. Coyly she turned her head subtly to acknowledge Len leaning against the door frame. She noticed how unnaturally handsome he looked when he was properly dressed. Taken aback by the stranger watching her from the door way, she dropped her glove with a minute gasp. The sudden motive had snapped them both out of their prolonged staring. With a bright smile to Len, Rin began to reach down to pick up her glove when Len rushed froth and knelt before her. Taking hold of her hand he slipped it on and rose to his feet. "Rin? Let's go to the ball," he laughed. Her glassy green eyes followed him eagerly and a smirk curled her plush lips. "Ha!" she replied gleefully, "we can't go just yet." In a single motion she sprung to her feet and plucked a yellow rose out of the vase beside her. "You're forgetting this," she whispered as she tucked it into the pocket of his coat, "See? There u look much better Len. I dare say rather charming." Her twinkling laughter ring like bells in the glowing atmosphere of the room, she didn't have to be anything but herself here with him. With Len beside her the choking feeling disappeared; at that thought a faint blush colored her lily white cheeks.

While she was laughing Len had gone to pluck another yellow rose and tucked it into the satin ribbon in her hair. Rin's laughter stopped and her face softened. Smiling, the matching yellow and black pair linked arms and made their way to the cheerful clatter of nameless faces below.


	4. Chapter 4

The night fought relentlessly to overcome the stellar light bursting out of the colossal windows. It made the night sky glow a bluish violet hue where the light ended and the sky began. Diamond dust hung in the air beside the luminous moon. The moon was all she could recognize as she was spun dizzily from one partner to another. After a while their masked faces became a blur to her and she just didn't have the will to care. One hand for another the pulse of the music matched that of her beating heart. All she knew was that she was alive and that the world was a confusing blend of sights and sounds. Catching her eye was a shadowy figure alone just beyond the glass doors out in the cool night air.

Standing alone on the deck, overlooking the rose maze to the west and the reflective pond which cut through the lush green like a cold steel blade. Len idly leaned over the ivy weaved stone railing to clear his mind. Every so often a draft would carry a few shattered petals from the maze to where he planted himself. They whirled about like the countless couples inside but of all the couples he was only concerned with one. Heaving a heavy sigh he returned his attention back to the pond and the welcoming face of the moon on its fluid surface. Len dared not look at the actually moon, it was too bright for him to look at. He like the dark moon were the same, seldom seen yet secretly there, never shining quite as bright as the other. No, he was fine with that. "What have I got to lose…" he said to himself as he snatched a fluttering petal out of the air, clenching it in his fist. Turning back to watch the dancers Len caught a glimpse of a silver mirror from afar. A laugh tickled the back of this throat, forcing him to throw his head back in an airy chuckle. It was about time for him to return, donning his mask he made his way to the door but stopped to bid the dark moon goodbye. His fingers curled around the craved handle, with a click of the latch and a sharp tug a burst of sounds and motion enveloped Len; dragging him in before he could react.

"Another cup of tea please," Rin beckoned to a server walking by while shifting her attention away from Len quietly slipping in from outside. Around her sat a multitude of faceless girls vying for her friendship to further their own personal gain. With a flourish of her hand she pulled her fan up in front of her face to politely giggle to a comment she hadn't really heard. Aside from the crafted feathered mask covering the top portion of her face, she wore another more prominent façade. Flapping the face closed and placing it aside, she turned to meet the sea of faces surrounding her. The plush chair she resided on gave off the impression that she was nothing more than a precious doll draped in yellow and black. "Madame you look so lovely tonight," a clearly older girl called to her sweetly while waving her handkerchief. "Oh yes, you have a figure most ladies would dead for," another cried before sipping her tea. Seated at the head, she could see them all lined up on both sides of the elongated table crammed with plates with tea cakes, scones, small biscuits and cookies. Priceless crystal vases placed every few seats were arranged with a rainbow bouquet of flowers from the garden, all in full bloom and fighting to be noticed among the rest.

The evening grew later and later but the ball didn't seem to come to an end. People came and went through the heavy wooden doors. The candelabras were burning through their wicks, leaving ghostly white trails of smoke floating to the ceiling. The vapors blanketed the vaulted ceilings and formed cloudy puffs. The bell tower's tolling resonated from the town on the other side of the ribbon like river cutting through the flat green land, and into the hallow halls dancing endlessly. Out of breathe and with swollen pink feet underneath her draping gown Miku made her way to the head of the ball room where her beaming parents sat upon their lavishly jewel encrusted thrones. The gems and jewels seemed to have formed constellations to Miku as she made her way up the thick red carpet laid on top of the marble steps. Normally, she would be flying up these steps as if on wings but with everyone's eyes on her it felt endless. Her dress seemed to be weighing her down under all its layers, the twin straps on her shoulders cut into her flesh as the sleeves hung limply on the side with each step. Coyly she looked at the smiling masked people crowding on either side of the carpet to catch a glance of the lovely young Viridian princess.

Towards the end of her ascent a metallic click sounded as Len slipped back into the chamber hoping no one would notice his absence. Rin noticed. She had noticed his absence from the moment he continued from the deck to his disappearance amongst the throng of guests. There was no need for her to turn and acknowledge his reappearance by her side out of respect for Miku though she herself chose not to stand. For Rin merely turning in her chair and resting one small hand atop the other on her lap was enough. After all she was rather unhappy that she was unable to take a bite of the decadent strawberry cake before her. But she knew better than to complain, instead she continued to watch attentively as the king rose to greet his daughter.

"Tonight, we formally introduce my daughter Miku as the Viridian princess. In addition to that she will soon be engaged to a most worthy suitor," the king let out a roaring laugh above the thunderous applause. Miku's heart fell out of her chest as he uttered those words, but she clung desperately to that false smile as she turned to face the mob below. Before these witnesses she had to hide her face, while scanning the crowd to find solace in Alice a head of deep blue near the shadows lining the walls caught her attention. Her hands shot up to cover the shocked expression that ruined her façade and nearly shook the mask off her. The shadow smiled back and vanished. "WAIT!" she screamed reaching out sporadically before collapsing forward to the horrified gasps from those around her. The king and queen rushed forward, beckoning a guard to fetch the physician. Alice surged through the frozen crowd, carelessly pushing aside those whom she'd normally bow down to. Rin shot up from her chair and caught Len's hand. Fear gripped him as Rin buried her face in his chest to quiet her sobs, looking down he could she the petals of the yellow rose shaking loose from its bloom.


	5. Chapter 5

"Will she be alright?" the queen frantically asked while the physician was checking Miku's pulse as her limp body remained motionless in bed. Alice's tears had cried up on her cheeks but her voice still shook slightly when she was forced to answer her mistress's demands. "Your highness, the princess has suffered a great shock. Whatever she saw must've truly frightened her to the brink of death," the physician replied somberly in a hushed tone.

Moments after she fainted, the royal guards had hurriedly carried Miku out of the ballroom and back to her room with the queen and Alice in tow. All the while the king had to dismiss the guests, whom all left with their hands bowed deeply upon passing the king. It was a delicate situation and in the early hours before dawn broke they made their way home in adorned carriages, pulled by the finest horses, their lean muscles rippled with little trots and long manes flipped with the occasional shaking of their heads. Exhaustion weakened the king, forcing him to retire to his own chamber without a second thought. His once powerful strut had been reduced to a sickly trudge down the cavernous halls in the dying candle light.

* * *

Being sent back to their rooms Rin and Len were forced to each return to their own rooms. Though Rin wished Len would at least stay in the bedroom next to her own, he had his own chambers on the other side of the manor. Shutting the door behind her, heaving a sigh she could feel the curved handle of her door against the small of her back. Seconds ticked by loudly from the clock beside her curtained windows. The events of the night had been troubling her. _Where was Len constantly running off to? Was there a girl that he had been visiting secretly? What or who did Miku see that could possible be that terrifying?_ These questions ran through her mind but she knew that there was no way for her to find out; all she could do is worry about herself. "Oh just forget it," she murmured to herself, "I'm tired, let's just get out of this gown and into bed." Had it been another day she would have simply done as she had commanded, but not tonight. Gathering up the hem of her billowing dress she stepped away from the door and towards the window.

The heavy drapes blocked out the early morning hues of purple in the sky. The moon had grown wary of the strange events and decided to take the blanket of night with it. Uncertainty; made her hesitant before pulling aside the curtains and question the purpose behind her action. What she saw inside was a reflection of herself. Bright green eyes red rimmed from crying glared back, long bangs normally held in place by a pair of pins were now loose and partially covered her left eye. The black band across her blonde hair appeared the same except for the absence of the yellow rose Len set in. The tight bun onto her head now had little curls fighting to get loose. Pink pouted lips with gloss that had dried up hours ago remained parted. Letting her eyes travel down she observed the boat neckline of her dress with sleeves that rested just off her shoulders. The hard bodice of her dress was a metallic gold with black lacey ruffles along the sides of the corset front held together by a ribbon of black with a bow that was now lopsided. The bottom were mostly ruffled tiers of gold draped with a layer of black right below the bodice, set off with a pair of newly polished black heels laced up with thick ribbons.

A bird's song in the distance finally made Rin advert her eyes from herself. What felt like an eternity was actually but a couple of minutes. The purple shades were beginning to glow pink near the horizon. Releasing her hold of the curtains, Rin proceeded to plopping herself onto her frothy bed spread. Yanking her gloves off and tossing them on a heap on the floor, she reached blindly for her oversized pink bunny, taking hold of what felt like a paw or foot it didn't really matter to her at the moment. Cradling the bunny on her stomach she closed her eyes, thinking of how she wished Len would come out of the room she kept the rest of her stuffed plush toys where he was changing in before. A smile spread across her lips and with her hand over her eyes she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

On the other side of the castle, Len however was far from sleep. The call of a great and powerful secret from somewhere deep within these hallowed halls. He could feel a shadowy siren's song wafting through the air, winding through the corridors till it found him standing by his desk with a crumpled letter in his hand. It, like its twin in the trash can, bore the Aureaten seal. It didn't matter what the rest of the letter said all he got out of it was "time's running out Len". He truly didn't want to return home. For some reason they always felt happiest when they were here. The garden's maze felt like it could protect them forever. Even though they were only visiting royals from the neighboring kingdom used to keep good relations, they had grown accustomed to spending long summers playing with Miku. They'd sometimes forget and think of her as their older sister, but this was it. They were no longer permitted to be there, it was the royal family's wish.

With everything in an uproar of Miku's fainting spell, Len decided to finally answer the call and seek it out. It was not something that required the use of any one sense in particular. The feeling was more of a tugging on his very soul, beckoning this way and that, down one corridor, through this door, up the stairs and around the corner. Before he realized it he was being dwarfed by a pair of ancient hard dark mahogany doors. They were absolutely spotless, only the thick coat of dust rest on the dull colored curved handle indicated that the room within had not been used in ages.

Outside the sun's rays were beginning to climb higher in the sky, the deep shades of purple into pinks, along the horizon oranges were peeking up just over the crest. But at that very moment the confines of the castle were still cloaked under a false sense of night. The curtains had all been drawn shut and all was still in the hallways. Inside the rooms however was a different story. For all Len knew, this could've been someone's room but he simply didn't know. But he felt a continual tugging, beckoning him to throw open the doors and face the entity within. Tentatively, he reached for the handle, hands trembling, and a cold sweat dampened his brow. _This is ridiculous! Come on now there's nothing in there to be scared of. Probably just some empty old room. Or maybe…just maybe…I might just find the answer to my problem…._Hovering just above the handle; Len slammed his hand down in an instant and heard the loud clank of the release mechanism accompanied by the low creek of the door hinges.

Turning to make sure no one else was in the hall beside him; a flash of darker black flew down the adjacent hall. A chill shot up his spine and set the butterflies loose in his belly. _It's a servant or maid. What if I'm in a restricted area? Heaven forbid they tell on me. I have to find out._ Len left the door ajar and bolted down the hall after the shadow. The door wavered a bit as he ran away. A tiny sliver of darkness cut through where the door did not fully closed and revealed the faint glowing face of a grandfather clock, one that had stopped ticking six years ago on the night when the moon was at its zenith.

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author's note: sorry guys i'm gonna start posting a little more slowly now. school just started today so i'll still try to do it at least monthly. thanks. :D hope u've enjoyed my story i'd love to hear some comments.


	6. Chapter 6

_The midday sun beat down on the thick blanket of brush above her in the surrounded trees. A little sheen of sweat damped her forehead. She breathed the sweet rose scented air in deeply, deeply enough to smell the grassy undertones of the newly sprouted buds. The mossy growth on the bottom of the tree she leaned on cushioned her under the light frills of her blush pink dress with fluttering white trimmings swaying with the wispy breeze. A crystal pendent chilled by the open air stung her, the thorned stem of a peculiar flower pricked her within her grasp, forced her to awaken. She blinked a couple times in quick secession, clearing the fog of sleep around her mind. The trickle of a stabbing pain went up her nerves making her release her hold on the flower. The single droplet of blood slide down her finger and fell in the soft mat of grass, staining the tips of the blades. Leaving the flower behind Miku staggered to her feet, taking hold of a low branch for support. Its stretchy bark splintered and diminished beneath her hand. To her surprised the branch looked perfectly fine, but its core was dead and rotting. _

_A chuckle from a distant voice pulled her away from the tree, walking cautiously Miku followed it to find a rather lanky boy mocking her on a swinging wooden bench hidden within the gazebo facing the tree she had awaken from. His piercing ice blue eyes glowed gleefully. A mischievous smile, while resting leisurely, his arm rested top the head of the bench while his other hand clutched a leather bound volume of a book he was tired of reading. His foot placed over his knee, shaking slightly. Miku observed the fine state of his clothes, a light but formal suit. The gold threading, polished silver cufflinks, the undone tie around his collar, but the one thing that struck her most was his cobalt hair. "Ditching you tutor again Miku? I know you hate your music lessons, but if you don't learn the basics you never start to play an instrument," he spoke in a kind voice. Staring deeply into his eyes she noticed something was off. "What is your name?" the words escaped her without her realizing it. "Pfft," he sputtered, "you don't remember me? Miku, think carefully. I can't tell you anything but I can tell you this. It wasn't time that erased my face." His lips continued to move with a cruel sneer, almost mocking her but no sound escaped his mouth. _

_ She took a step forward and felt her foot sink into the ground. Her eyes widen in fear as she franticly fought to pull it out, but the crack spend out further and further. The stone steps and even the soft grassy carpet was now a spider's web of black etched lines. Breaking her gaze from the boy she could hear the roar of the shattering space around her. It all crumbled into a thousand miniature crystal fragments suspended in the air, looking back at the boy she let out a scream at the sight of the large split running down in a jaggedly on his face. His eerie wide toothy smile and all seeing eyes were the only things that were still intact. The sound of her shriek shook the mirrors above and brought it all raining down, from it rose a fine diamond dust cloud washing away the boy. Leaving her standing in the midst of an endless dark field, she let of a soft sigh and with a jolt felt the floor give way dropping her in to the abyss below._

Bolting up in her bed, gasping for air her eyes searched every corner of the room fearing the ghastly face of the boy. Miku squeezed her eyes shut tightly hoping the image would dissipate. Her heart was still racing, pounding furiously in her chest, making her shake. The translucent drapes around her bed did little to calm her, curled up she sat upright in her bed hugging her fluffy tan colored bear to her chest, still closing her eyes. "I must find that him," she whispered softly into her bear. Out of the corner of her eye a shifting shadow caught her attention, she watched it waiver from away from the half opened window. Closer and closer it came, her eyes dilate focusing as hard as she could to see who the phantom was. Tears were welling up in the corner of her eyes as a hand reached out making the curtains shiver. Miku could hear it breathe a slow sigh. Suddenly, the curtains were pulled back revealing the silhouette of Alice. "Miku!" she gasped quite taken back from the sight of Miku with her hands clamped over her mouth to keep from screaming, hot tears dripping silently off her flushed cheeks. Nearly dropping her candle, Alice lunged forward to hug Miku. The two girls sat there, both teary eyed and happy to finally a face of comfort, but over the top of Alice's shoulder Miku noticed something that wasn't ever there before. She was not one to have flowers in her room unless she had set them there herself. However, there on the far corner of her window side table rested a blue rose with an ebony ribbon tied into a neat bow around it.

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A/N: it's been a long week...sighs...hope you guys liked it i sort of ended up pulling an all nighter to get this out on time. anyways, love to hear any comments or anything so do write me.


	7. Chapter 7

It was a quiet afternoon in the stagnant air of her room, Miku still in her nightgown, laid idly in bed. The hollow feeling in her chest ached a little every so often, leaving her feeling horribly miserable. "I don't know why I feel this way," she murmured aloud to herself in between the stabs of pain. Her mind felt rather fleeting to her; it wasn't something she thought was trustworthy at this moment. No her conscious mind was more of a sad shadow laying beside her watching, but unable to help. All Miku knew now was the throbbing of indecisiveness. She yearned for a resolve but how could she, when she didn't even know what was the cause of her pain. The boy's face lingered in her mind smiling wickedly. A part of her thought that maybe finding that boy would help her but then again maybe seeing him will being along a new set of consequences. Tossing and turning Miku contemplated which route she would take or even if she was going to take either one of them at all. Years of training had taught her that sometimes it was best to not do anything at all and let things would just happen on their own, even though she was never the type to actually do that.

Slowly she made her way to the blindly light of her window to look outside. Her hand trembled as she pressed it against the lukewarm glass panel, applying a little more pressure the hinge gave way and the panel squeaked opened. It had been a while since anyone last opened it due to Miku's coma. Her room overlooked the garden, the reflection pool, and the long stretched paved road leading to the countryside beyond the iron barred gates. On this particular day a single plain black carriage, pulled by a young brown stag each trot growing louder as it clomped down the stone paved road. Curiosity got the better of her; Miku sprung to her feet the instant the couch came to a halt. Still in her silken loose fitting ivory slip, she hurriedly stepped into a pair of matching ballet slippers before rushing out her room. Her hair was in disarray; tingled and untied up in her usual piggy tails she had pushed aside the shocked faces of maids and servants going about their business. With each step she could feel the pounded of the blood rushing through her veins and throbbing of her heart roared louder. A kaleidoscope of images and colors swirled distorting the maroon carpet atop manila tiles beneath her feet, the endless doors and windows that lined the wall, cold vapid portals to close off worlds. Somewhere along the way she must've lost her slipper leaving it behind for an uncertain fate, in the distance she could hear the echo of a footman scurrying to open the door to receive the new guest. With a hard yank the hinges of the door grinded open, it had been a while since anyone visited since the night Miku fainted. The owner of the carriage stepped out of the confined box and into the blinding sun. He appeared to be nothing more than a slightly wealthy merchant but most certainly not an aristocrat. He had on a dusty looking coat with wrinkled trousers from sitting too long, a lightly tarnished top hat rested lopsided on his head. The footman was taken aback by the state of the young man before him. "How can someone dare to try and present himself at the lord's palace in such a manner," he thought while beckoning the young man forward and a servant boy to aid the carriage driver to the stables.

The young man smirked to himself as he tilted his head forward and tipped his hat in respect to the footman, whom was obviously an older gentleman. Slyly he pulled the brim of his hat down till it hid his eyes, heeding the footman's calling he followed slowly, a couple paces behind. The young man sauntered cheerfully while humming softly to himself. His eyes, a mix of dusty green paled by age and travel had hints of silver that sparkled with a hidden joy in between the shafts of light beaming down from the stained glassed panels overhead. Each passing window painting his face a different shade but never once did the joy dissipate from his eyes. Looking up at the buttresses and candelabras soaring overhead, he continued to follow the footman whimsically, even bumped into him when came to a sudden stop outside the audience room. The smile vanished and his eyes hardened, the air around him suddenly became authoritative and cold. The footman heaved a weary sigh as he strained against the double doors, they groaned back in protest as it slowly gave way. Behind him the young man tensed up and waited to be announced to his and her royal majesty.

"Your highness I present to you a young man who has traveled far to seek your audience sir…err…well…," the footman sputtered, glad that he was bowing and did not have to look directly at the displeased face of the king. "I am Duke Laurie de Corneillan," his voice reverberated throughout the cavernous chamber. The heels of his hard leather soled shoes clicked sharply against the polished white tiles with each proceeding step, the footman quickly backed out still in his crouched position, thankful that he was no longer entangled with this boisterous young man. Stopping a couple paces away from the still shocked king the young man pull off his hat revealing a tangled mass of feathery soft light brown hair. Before speaking once again he tucked his hat into the corner of his elbow and swept into a low bow.

A loud crash came from the balcony behind him, nearly knocking him off his feet, forcing everyone's eyes to turn upward to witness the sight of the princess flustered and out of breathe. She had slammed the doors open in her plight to see this strange new man she was being drawn to. Their eyes locked for a brief moment, time froze as the two look on at one another. Breaking the connection, Miku grabbed hold of the chilly banister to stable herself after feeling lightheaded from her seemingly endless flight through the entirety of the castle. Laurie, watching the princess taking gulps of air, pale faced and glistening, smirked triumphantly with narrowed eyes spun on his heel to face the king half risen from his throne. A bead of sweat ran down from his temple at the sight of his daughter's outburst, heaving himself heavily back onto the deep maroon plush upholstery, the bloodless face of the old king watched horror stricken and sick to his stomach. In the back of his mind the thought of losing another child was more than he could bear. They've lose so many already. "I've come to ask your daughter's hand in marriage," Laurie pronounced loudly his voice rang out to all those in the chamber. His beautiful face as innocent as a child that was caught being mischievous, in a sweeping moment he fell upon and his and bowed his head. "Your Grace, I wish for nothing more than to serve you, my country, and above all else Miku". A letter was produce from the folds of his coat and he presented directly to the dumbfounded and speechless king before turning his back to walk out to find himself a pleasant room for the night; all the while whistling a gently twinkling song that hung in the air as he left the silent frozen faces of the royal family and the high council. The king near closer to his wife, together they slowly broke the wax seal and read its contents. Color rose quickly to both their previously blank faces, quick glances at each other and a swift nod of the king indicated their understand of the same thing. He crumbled the note and threw it to a page. "Burn it.

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A/N: Super killed my fingers texting this week . hope you all enjoy this :D that would so make my day


	8. Chapter 8

The stale air of the dusty library bore down heavily as Len, with his head stuck inside the colossal grandfather clock poking and prodding at the rusty gears. He wanted to be alone, but every so often he would stalk over to one of the dirty eclipsing windows, pushed the curtain aside gingerly with the greasy tips of his fingers at the sound of a twinkling laugh outside. It stung him to hear her laugh as she raced away from one of the other courtiers staying with the royal family for the summer holiday. Their childish game was clearly a guise for their flirtations. Len ground his teeth together; his fingers abandoned the heavy draping and tightly clutched his fist. Breathing a slow tired sigh, he pressed his back against the adjacent wall and slid down to the wine colored carpeted floors beneath him. He pulled his knees up to his chest in hopes that it would dampen the throbbing jab in his chest, his arms pulling them closer against each painful beat. "What am I even doing…she doesn't even notice me," Len's voice was muffled as he spoke with his head resting on the top of his knees, the hem of his long shorts pressed roughly against his cheek filling him with a hallow sadness.

Moments passed swiftly, and before he realized it he was curled up on the floor fast asleep. The warm summer evening made the dark library feel hot and sticky. In his sleepy haze, Len had to squint to make out the blurry dark objects around him. The old clock's shining face glowed eerily. Len's eyes locked onto it, enchanted by the way it seemed to glow from within. "Strange isn't it," a voice chuckled. Jumping to his feet he franticly scanned the room, his legs buckled from the sudden action forced him to lean heavily on the grandfather clock. Its pulsing face quicken, causing the glow to fade in and out. Len pushed himself closer to it hoping the light would reveal the identity of the mysterious voice. He braced himself, his left hand dug into the aged wood of the clock; his right formed a fist by his side. He stared wide eyed, at the direction of the door. "Calm down boy," the voice spoke again, this time a little closer than before. Len opened his mouth to retort back, but no sound escaped. His throat and mouth were dry, and his chapped lips creaked, letting tiny threads of blood to slip into his mouth. The taste revolted him, but allowed him to choke out a reply, "Who are you?" The figure glided over to the window and pulling back the drapes, he stood there for a moment bathing in the orangey purple light of the setting sun. "Silly boy," Laurie laughed he sauntered over to where the frighten boy had wedged himself. His kind, cool smile; calmed Len, allowing him to stand properly and inspect the stranger who was now busying himself by pulling back all the curtains in the now dimly light room. In the dying rays of sunlight, Laurie stood with one hand in the pocket of his pants, the other fiddling with the chain of his pocket watch. His eyes became dreamy as he stared out towards the horizon. Len had hoisted himself back up and took a couple tentative steps closer to the absent minded, rather ordinary looking young man near him. Except for one thing, there was an undefined hint of color in his eyes that didn't seem right. It almost waivered in the light but settled before he could figure out what he was looking at.

"It's lovely outside, don't you think?" turning to face Len, "I'm a little lost actually; I thought this was a bedroom. The Viridian palace certainly lives of to its reputations in the other kingdoms. If you don't mind, would you kindly be my guide?" Len breathed a sign to himself, glad that the thought of getting away from the library for a while. He nodded and calmly fled to the door, Laurie followed soundlessly on his heel still with a dreamy expression on his face. Before closing the door behind him, Len looked back at the clock before briskly pacing away shaking the feeling off. Laurie watched for a moment at the distressed boy running away after a secret glance at the frozen clock. He could almost make out a single spider's thread trailing from Len's foot back to the timeless guardian.


End file.
